Thaw
by PeaceHeather
Summary: A pair of prompt fills from my tumblr page, originally posted in November-ish of 2013. All of this was before they even got out of Neverland, much less the bit with the Wicked Witch, so has been completely canon-balled. Prompt 1: First time Emma calls Hook "Killian". 2. Song lyrics, "That we ever should have met is a miracle."
1. Chapter 1

"Where are they?" Boots, loud on the dock, as Emma and the others came charging up the gangplank and onto the deck of the Jolly Roger.

"They're here, I swear they're here, I saw Hook dragging the kid and they haven't left since I called you!" Leroy, accusatory, his voice harsh in the still air.

"Look, I already told you," started David, " - here. God, they must have been soaked."

Emma was already following the trail, footprints and dripping water, puddles of it, across the deck and down the hatch. It was so dark down here, always, she'd never gotten used to it...

"Here." David clicked on his flashlight.

The galley door was shut, but the water on the floor went both toward it and away. Emma listened for a moment, but heard no voices, until...

"Here! I got him!" David shone the flashlight back the way they'd come. Leroy had Hook shoved up against a bulkhead, glaring at him with his teeth bared. Hook's teeth gleamed, too, in the dim light, but Emma could read his face better than she liked.

He was in pain.

"Where is he, _pirate_? Where the hell did you put Henry? Did you think we wouldn't -"

"Knock it off, Leroy." Emma's voice came out flat and hard, uncompromising. "We've told you a dozen times but you don't want to listen."

"He's a pirate!"

"He helped us! He's saved all our lives!" Emma pulled Leroy bodily off of Hook, who still hadn't said anything. "Just - get over yourself and back off."

David still had his light trained on Hook, and Emma could see that he was soaked to the skin, hair slick and sticking to his forehead, clothing dripping all over the floor. His boots squelched when he shifted his weight. He bent down and Emma saw fabric, neatly folded, on the floor where he'd dropped it. A loose shirt, it looked like, and a gray wool blanket.

His hand was shaking harder than Emma had ever seen it.

So was the rest of him, and Emma could smell the seaweed and dead fish odor.

"Hook?"

He shuddered again, barely keeping himself upright. "G-g-galley," he managed to say. "'S w-warmer. Henry. He f-f-f..."

"Fell in?!"

Hook nodded.

David was already headed down the corridor, Leroy on his heels. Emma got an arm under Hook's shoulder and helped him follow.

The heat inside the little kitchen was stifling and damp, the seaweed smell even stronger. Henry was sitting at the table as close to the stove as he could get, half-naked, with his clothing slopped in a soggy pile on the floor next to the stove. He was shivering, too, but not nearly as badly as Hook still was.

They were efficient, Leroy stoking the flames in the little stove with another scoop of coal as David reached for the bundle Emma had taken from Hook, to keep it dry. Henry was pulling the shirt over his head, all the laces undone but still not nearly as oversized on him as it should have been - kid was growing like a weed - and David was wrapping him in the blanket, as Emma sat her pirate on the nearest bench and began to yank his clothes off.

When he _didn't_ say anything about her stripping him in front of an audience - c'mon, the opportunities for a lewd remark were practically endless - Emma started to worry.

"What the hell happened here, guys?"

"Yeah," put in Leroy, "what'd he do, Henry, shove you in and you took him with you?"

Emma opened her mouth to retort, but Henry beat her to it. "Stop!" he said angrily. "Y-you keep doing that and it's n-not fair! Captain Jones saved my life, okay?"

Captain Jones? Emma looked up, her hands stilling where she was trying to get Hook's shirt off of his... hook... without tearing the sleeve open.

Emma had to hand it to Henry; the kid didn't get mad often, but when he did, look out. Apparently he could even out-glare a dwarf. "H-he's saved our lives over and over again and you still won't cut him any slack. It's like you think we're all l-liars or something. Is that it? Do you think we're just making it up?"

Leroy opened his mouth, shut it again. He kept blinking but couldn't seem to find any words.

"Kid," said Emma quietly, "what happened?"

"Hold that thought," said David. He dropped a hand onto Hook's bare shoulder, and flinched at how cold the skin was. "Jones. Your cabin still unlocked?"

Hook nodded. There was a sudden wash of cooler air as David left the galley, closing the door behind him.

She looked at Hook, sitting there shuddering on the bench, his eyes shut, skin clammy and pale. Emma took off her jacket and draped it across his shoulders.

"You gonna be okay?"

Hook didn't answer at first, then his eyes opened and he nodded, the motion jerky and stiff. He looked up at her and offered a ghost of a smile. His teeth were still chattering too hard, when he tried to speak he couldn't get the words out, but the expression on his face said _"Eventually, yes"_ and _"Thanks for asking"_ and thanks for a host of other things Emma couldn't, or refused to, name.

There was another gust of cold air as David returned, holding another blanket, more clothing, and a coil of thin rope. He and Hook shared a look, and David nodded.

"Emma, let me take over here. You know where the tea supplies are, right? You go ahead and get that started, please, these guys could use a hot drink. Leroy, the cups are in that little cupboard behind you, do you mind? Henry, why don't you go ahead and tell us what happened."

Henry's eyes followed her as she went about, grabbing the teapot and dipping out fresh water from the barrel in the corner. Emma realized, glancing around, that David had gotten everyone to look away as he helped Hook to undress. His boots came off first, then there was a wet slap on the floor as, out of sight, David shucked Hook of his pants.

"Henry?"

There was a hiss as she set the teapot on the stove.

"It was dumb," he said quietly. "I just wanted to see if Ariel was gonna come visit today."

"You know she doesn't when it's this cold out," said David.

"I know," said Henry. "But it was warmer yesterday, and I just - anyway, I was out on the dock and I didn't realize things had frozen over. I waved at Captain Jones, and then while I was leaning out over the edge of the dock, I slipped on a patch of ice."

"B-b-bloody f-f-f-foolish thing to d-do, lad," said Hook. There was a clunk on the table, and Emma turned around; David had gotten the brace off Hook's arm, and there it lay, hook and buckles and wet leather straps. Emma had never seen him without it.

He had his back to her and his shirt already on; as she watched, he and David settled the blanket around his shoulders. He kept his - his _other_ arm, tucked under the blanket and hidden.

"I know," said Henry. "Mom, it was so cold I couldn't even _breathe_."

"And H-" No, she decided. He wasn't wearing it. Neither Henry nor David called him that. "And Jones jumped in after you?"

He stiffened in his seat, turned to look over his shoulder at her.

"I guess so," said Henry.

"Aye," said Hook. Said _Jones_.

The teapot whistled on the stove. Emma blinked, startled, and used a rag to pick it up. Leroy had set the cups all in a row, and tossed a pinch of tea leaves into each one; Emma poured the water and the sharp, bitter smell filled the air, overpowering the stink of seaweed, dead fish, and wet clothing. David strung the line up overhead, from the door to the farthest cabinet, and started draping wet clothing across it. There was another hiss as Hook's shirt dripped onto the stove, before David adjusted it.

"You could've been killed," said Emma, after Henry had taken his first sip. "_Jesus,_ kid, you could have _died_ and Hoo- Jones could've died trying to save you, and none of us would have known about it!"

"Leroy called you," protested Henry. "I heard him yelling when we got back to the ship."

"Because I saw a pirate running like hell with you over his shoulder!" said Leroy. "I didn't see what happened before that - if he hadn't gotten you out of the water you both would've just disappeared!"

"Did anyone even know you were down at the docks, Henry?" asked David.

"No," he said miserably.

"_Because_?"

"...because Mom said not to come down here, 'cause Ariel wouldn't come today." Henry ducked his head.

"_Because_?" David's glower was something that would scare an ogre, thought Emma, and they were blind. Leroy's face wasn't much happier, and Emma was caught between wanting to hug her kid so tight he couldn't breathe, and wanting to... if he were an adult she'd be decking him right about now for his stupidity.

Henry sighed, and mumbled, "Because the water was too cold for mermaids, and it was dangerous to be down here."

"So you knew?" demanded Emma. "Regina already told you not to come? And you did it anyway?"

"I'm sorry," said Henry, but she cut him off.

"Sorry isn't _good_ enough, kid!" She slammed the teapot down hard on the table. "_Sorry_ wouldn't have brought you back if you were killed. If you _froze_ to death, if you freaking _drowned_ because you couldn't be bothered to _listen_ when someone tells you something is too dangerous, and not to do it!"

"Mom, I'm -"

"No! Henry Daniel Mills, don't you 'Mom' _me,_ we just got you back from Neverland, I have busted my _ass_ to keep you safe and you don't seem to get that there are things we can't save you from!"

"Hook saved me!"

"_Jones_ was in the right place at the right time and it is a god-damned _miracle_ that he was, do you not get that?" Emma was the one shaking now, now that Henry had stopped and the danger was past. "_Dead_ is not just some other realm we can hop across with a magic bean and bring you back from if you ever end up there. Dead is _dead_, do you hear me? You could've been -"

"Easy, Emma, hey, easy," David's hand was on her shoulder, steering her away from Henry to sit on the bench beside Hoo- beside Jones. Her son was crying now, and she could feel the tears streaking her own face, too, and _dammit_ if she were in her right mind she would hate doing this in front of an audience, but...

"Leroy, you got your cell on you?" David's voice, calming, as he passed the remaining cups of tea around to everyone. Emma could only sit there next to the man who'd saved her son's life, both of them shivering albeit for different reasons. "Get ahold of the hospital, ask them if we should bring Henry in to get checked out, just in case."

"This tea is gross," said Henry.

"You're lucky you're still alive to taste it," said Leroy. "What about the captain?"

"Wouldn't go for g-gems and jewels," said Hook. "S-see to the boy."

"Call Regina too," said Emma. "Tell her everything. Tell her every last detail."

"Mom!" said Henry.

"Kid, after a stunt like this you'll be lucky if you're allowed out of the house for the next three months," said Emma.

"Whale says he'll be waiting for us," said Leroy. "So does Regina."

"C'mon, big guy, finish your tea and let's get you to the truck," said David. He gathered up Henry's clothes and passed them to Leroy.

Henry shuffled around the table, his blanket clutched tight. He stopped in front of Emma, who had to force herself to look at him.

"I'm really sorry, Mom," he said, and she grabbed him into a fierce hug. "I'm sorry, I really really am..."

"Henry," she breathed. "I love you so much, kid. Don't you _ever_ -"

"I won't, I swear," he said, squeezing her back. She let him go after a second, and he threw his arms around Jones, too.

The look on his face would have been funny, under other circumstances. He wriggled his good arm out from under the blanket, and patted Henry on the back awkwardly.

"Thank you for saving my life," said Henry quietly. "I mean, _again_."

Jones gave a little chuckle. "You're welcome, lad," he said. "Try n-not to make a habit of this, aye?"

"Yes, sir," Henry replied, and Killian's whole face softened.

David put his hand on Henry's head and moved toward the door of the galley. Emma stood, uncertain whether to stay or go, but David shook his head. "Jones still needs help," he said, once Henry was outside. "Henry will have Regina and all of us." He smiled. "Plus I think Henry isn't going to want you both yelling at him at the same time."

"I've already had my turn?" asked Emma.

"Something like that."

"I probably shouldn't have been so hard on him -"

"Aye, you should," said Jones, overlapping David, "Yes, you should have." David nodded at the captain to continue. "The b-boy nearly died today; it's a harsh lesson, and it n-needed to sink in. In m-my p-proper time and place, it wouldn't have been out of place to beat the lad, but I gather you don't d-do that here."

"What he said," added David. "You did fine." He kissed her on the forehead. "You stick around here, take a minute, help Jones until he throws you out..."

"Not likely," said Killian.

"...give us a call when you're ready for dinner," David finished.

* * *

"Can I get you anything?" asked Emma once the footsteps outside had faded.

"A splash of rum in the tea wouldn't go am-miss," said Killian.

"I'm not sure that would help," she said, and he shook his head.

"Your boy's right," he replied. "Have you forgotten how bitter this tea is without something sweet stirred in?"

"You make it too strong," said Emma. "Anyway you haven't had any yet."

"Hand's still a bit shaky, love," he said, and Emma grimaced. He reached for the cup and Emma wrapped her hand around his, holding it steady as he drank.

His fingers were still so cold, even though the galley was practically a sauna right now.

"You sure you're going to be okay?"

"Aye," he said softly. "As long as I keep out of the cold for the next couple of days..." His eyes lit. "Of course, it would help if someone were to warm my bed before I climbed in."

Emma smiled, slowly, knowing now that he'd be fine. "Lookin' for a little _gratitude_, there, pirate?"

He chuckled, quiet and a little breathy. "Again, it wouldn't go amiss. It was quite a thank-you I received for saving your father, after all, I -"

She cut him off with a kiss, gentle and sweet; shifted to straddle the bench beside him and wrap her arms around him. She rested her forehead on his shoulder and said nothing for a long moment. "Thank you," she breathed finally. Squeezed him tighter as she fought another round of tears. "God, _thank you_. You have _no idea_ -"

"Aye, I do," he said. She felt him shift in her embrace, laying his arm across her shoulders and rubbing his jaw along the top of her head.

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, and they were the most peaceful minutes Emma could remember in... years, maybe. But finally he shifted again, reaching for his cup of tea.

"I was amused to hear you use Henry's second name," he said. "Our realms are so different, yet it seems that custom remains the same - using the child's full name when he's really in trouble."

Emma laughed, surprised. "I bet you got that a lot," she said.

"On the contrary, I was a model of obedience and good upbringing," he said primly, and Emma laughed again.

"Yeah, right."

"I was," he insisted. "My older brother, on the other hand..."

"Yeah, well," said Emma. "If I knew your middle name, I'd use it on you, too. Henry's not the only one who almost died today." She gave him one last squeeze and sat up. "Killian Whatever Jones, don't you dare, something something."

His expression softened as he looked at her over the rim of his cup. "You'd be upset if I were gone?" he asked.

"What, are you kidding?"

"No."

Emma sobered, searched his face for hidden motives. Which was stupid; the man had never hidden his motives from her, even when they'd been on opposite sides. She might not know what he was to her, or what they were together, but she knew exactly where she stood with him.

She tilted her head, considering, then leaned in. He met her halfway, and their kiss this time was deeper, lingering, and lit a slow smoldering fuse inside Emma.

"Yeah," she said finally, "I'd be upset if you were gone." She swallowed, recognizing the layers of meaning in that statement. Wondering if he heard the _don't leave me_ hidden inside, fearing that he did.

Maybe, kinda, hoping that he did.

"Then I shall be certain not to go," he said. "So long as you don't reserve the use of my name for only those occasions when you are angry with me."

Now it was Emma's turn to grin wickedly. "What, you really don't want me to scream it at you... anytime soon?" His eyebrows went up in surprise. "Killian Whatever Jones?"

He bit his lip and raked his gaze over her. "I thought that was supposed to go along with 'don't you dare,' or something along those lines."

"Mmm," she said, shoving the blanket off his shoulders. "How about 'don't you dare stop'"?

"A brilliant plan," he said with a look of awe as she climbed into his lap.

* * *

It turned out that Emma did keep Killian's bed warm that night.

"Strictly for health reasons," she said.

"Of course," he replied. "And was the galley table, also, strictly in aid of my health?"

"Shut up," she said, and burrowed deeper into his side, under the covers.


	2. Chapter 2

Dear readers,

It is with regret (and no small measure of annoyance and exasperation) that I have chosen to take down the chapters you came here to see. It has come to my attention that FFnet has been repeatedly mirrored by spam sites, often filled with spyware or viruses, which masquerade as FFnet while using advertising revenue to make money off of every story currently posted on this site. In short, these mirror sites are stealing my work and making money off of it, and as far as I know, FFnet has done nothing to stop it.

Effective immediately, my work will no longer be available on this site. If you wish to read my stories, you are more than welcome to visit my account at Archive Of Our Own dot org, slash Users, slash Peaceheather. If you have found my work anywhere else, or know that it was not posted there with my knowledge or consent. If you are reading this message anywhere other than FFnet or AO3, you are probably on one of these mirror sites already.

I know that there is a risk that I will lose readers over this move, but I cannot allow stories that I poured my own time and energy into to be stolen for the purposes of turning a cheap profit. I hope my readers will understand, and I hope to see you on AO3.

My gratitude to you all for your support over the years.

Peace,

Heather


End file.
